तस्मात्त्वं नृपतिश्रेष्ठ गोपूजां वै समाचर । सा तुष्टा दास्यति क्षिप्रं पुत्रं धर्मपरायणम्
Therefore, O best of kings, perform the worship of cows; when satisfied, she will quickly grant you a son devoted to righteousness.
सुमतिरुवाच। तच्छ्रुत्वा धेनुपूजां स पप्रच्छ कथमादरात् । पूजनीया प्रयत्नेन कीदृशं कुरुते नरम्
Sumati said: Hearing this, he respectfully asked how the worship of cows should be properly performed, and what kind of person is to be honored by such worship.
जाबालि कथयामास धेनुपूजां यथाविधि । प्रत्यहं विपिनं गच्छेच्चारणार्थं व्रती तु गोः
Jābāli described the proper method of cow worship: Every day, the vow-holder should go to the forest to graze the cow.
गवे यवांस्तु संभोज्य गोमयस्थान्समाहरेत् । भक्षणीया यवास्ते तु पुत्रकामेन भूपते
He should feed the cow barley and collect dung from where the cow resides; O king, barley is to be given by one desiring a son.
सा यदा पिबते तोयं तदा पेयं जलं शुचि । सोच्चैः स्थाने यदा तिष्ठेत्तदानीं चासनस्थितः
When she drinks water, pure water should be offered; when she stands in a high place, one should also remain seated there.
दंशान्निवारयेन्नित्यं यवसं स्वयमाहरेत् । एवं प्रकुर्वतः पुत्रं दास्यते धर्मतत्परम्
He should always drive away flies and personally bring barley; by doing so, he will obtain a son devoted to righteousness.
सुमतिरुवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य पुत्रकाम ऋतंभरः । व्रतं चकार धर्मात्मा धेनुपूजां समाचरन्
Sumati said: Hearing these words, Ṛtaṃbhara, desiring a son, undertook the vow and performed the worship of the cow with righteousness.
प्रत्यहं कुरुते गां वै यवसाद्येन तोषिताम् । दंशान्न्यवारयद्धीमान्यवभक्षकृतादरः
Every day, he satisfied the cow with barley and other offerings, diligently drove away flies, and respectfully gave her barley to eat.
एवं धेनुं पूजयतो गतास्तु दिवसा घनाः । वनमध्ये तृणादींश्च चरंतीमकुतोभयाम्
Thus, as he worshipped the cow, many days passed, and she wandered fearlessly in the forest, grazing on grass and the like.
एकदा नृपतिस्तस्य वनस्य श्रीनिरीक्षणे । न्यस्तदृष्टिः सपरितो बभ्राम स कुतूहली
One day, as the king was observing the beauty of that forest, he wandered about, his gaze cast all around, filled with curiosity.
तदागत्याहनद्गां वै पंचास्यः काननांतरात् । क्रोशंतीं बहुधा दीनां सिंहभारेणदुःखिताम्
Then, from within the forest, a five-headed being came and struck the cow, who cried out in many ways, distressed and suffering under the weight of a lion.
तदा नृपः समागत्य विलोक्य निजमातरम् । सिंहेन निहतां पश्यन्रुरोदातीव विह्वलः
Then the king came and, seeing his own mother—the cow—slain by the lion, was overwhelmed and wept bitterly.
स दुःखितः समागत्य जाबालिमुनिसत्तमम् । निष्कृतिं तस्य पप्रच्छ गोवधस्य प्रमादतः
He, afflicted with sorrow, approached the eminent sage Jabali and asked him about atonement for the killing of a cow committed out of heedlessness.
ऋतंभर उवाच। स्वामिंस्त्वदाज्ञया धेनुं पालयन्वनमास्थितः । कुतोप्यागत्य तां सिंहो जघानादृष्टिगोचरः
Ṛtambhara said: 'Master, by your command, I was guarding the cow while staying in the forest; unexpectedly, a lion came and killed her, beyond my sight.'
तस्य पापस्य निष्कृत्यै किं करोमि त्वदाज्ञया । कथं वा व्रतसंपूर्तिर्मम पुत्रप्रदायिनी
For the expiation of that sin, what should I do by your instruction? And how will the completion of my vow, which grants me a son, be fulfilled?
इत्युक्तवंतं तं भूपं जगाद मुनिसत्तमः । संत्युपाया महीपाल पापस्यास्यापनुत्तये
Having spoken thus, the king was addressed by the eminent sage: 'There are indeed means, O ruler of the earth, for the removal of this sin.'
ब्रह्मघ्नस्य कृतघ्नस्य सुरापस्य महामते । प्रायश्चित्तानि वर्तंते सर्वपापहराणि च
For the killer of a Brahmin, the ungrateful, and the drinker of liquor, O wise one, there exist rites of atonement that remove all sins.
कृच्छ्रैश्चांद्रायणैर्दानैर्व्रतैः सनियमैर्यमैः । पापानि प्रलयं यांति नियमादनुतिष्ठतः
Through austerities, lunar fasts, gifts, vows with discipline and restraints, sins are dissolved for one who observes the prescribed rules.
द्वयोश्च निष्कृतिर्नास्ति पापपुंजकृतोस्तयोः । मत्या गोवधकर्तुश्च नारायणविनिंदितुः
But for two, there is no atonement: for one who heaps up sins by killing a cow, and for one who reviles Nārāyaṇa.
गवां यो मनसा दुःखं वांच्छत्यधमसत्तमः । स याति निरयस्थानं यावदिंद्राश्चतुर्दश
Whoever, with evil intent, wishes suffering upon cows, O lowest among men, goes to the realm of hell for as long as the fourteen Indras reign.
योऽपि देवं हरिं निंदेत्सकृद्दुर्भाग्यवान्नरः । स चापि नरकं पश्येत्पुत्रपौत्रपरीवृतः
Even a man who, by misfortune, once reviles Hari, will see hell, surrounded by his sons and grandsons.
तस्माज्ज्ञात्वा हरिं निंदन्गोषु दुःखं समाचरन् । कदापि नरकान्मुक्तिं न प्राप्नोति नरेश्वर
Therefore, knowing this, O king, one who reviles Hari or causes suffering to cows never attains liberation from hell.
अज्ञानप्राप्तगोहत्या प्रायश्चित्तं तु विद्यते । रामभक्तं तु धीमंतं याहि त्वमृतुपर्णकम्
But for the killing of a cow committed in ignorance, atonement is indeed prescribed; go to Ṛtuparṇa, the wise devotee of Rāma.
स वै समदृशः सर्वाञ्छत्रून्मित्राणि पश्यति । तुभ्यं कथिष्यति क्षिप्रं गोवधस्यास्य निष्कृतिम्
He regards all equally, seeing enemies and friends alike; he will quickly tell you the atonement for this killing of a cow.
तस्य देशांस्त्वमाक्रामंस्तेन निर्वासितः पुरा । वैरिभावं परित्यज्य गच्छ त्वमृतुपर्णकम्
Go to his land, which you once left, having been banished by him; abandon hostility and approach Ṛtuparṇa.
स यद्वदिष्यति क्षिप्रं तत्कुरुष्व समाहितः । यथा त्वत्कृतपापस्य निष्कृतिर्हि भविष्यति
Whatever he instructs you swiftly, do it with concentration, so that atonement for your committed sin will indeed be accomplished.
स तु तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा जगाम ऋतुपर्णकम् । रामभक्तं रिपौ मित्रे समदृष्ट्या समंजसम्
He, hearing that advice, went to Ṛtuparṇa, the devotee of Rāma, who regards friend and foe with equal vision and is upright.
स तस्मै कथयामास यज्जातं गोवधादिकम् । तस्य पापस्य निष्कृत्यै ह्युपायं सोऽप्यचिंतयत्
He told him everything that had happened, including the killing of the cow; and Ṛtuparṇa considered a means for the expiation of that sin.
क्षणं ध्यात्वाथ तं राजा ऋतुपर्ण ऋतंभरम् । उवाच प्रहसन्वाक्यं बुद्धिमान्धर्मकोविदः
After meditating for a moment, King Ṛtuparṇa, wise and versed in dharma, spoke to Ṛtambhara with a smile.
कोऽहं राजन्मुनीनां वै पुरतः शास्त्रवेदिनाम् । तान्हित्वा किं तु मां प्राप्तो मूर्खंपंडितमानिनम्
Who am I, O king, before the sages who know the scriptures? Leaving them aside, why have you come to me, a fool who imagines himself wise?